Questions about Motorola speakers and scanners.

[smokeyjones666]

Ok, I've been thinking about getting an external speaker and after doing some reading (and using the search function ) I have some questions.

From what I've read, the general consensus seems to favor Motorola speakers. I also notice most of the photos that have tricked-out installs or external speaker setups use those speakers with the blue Motorola logo, which I've been finding on eBay by searching for "motorola speaker" or "spectra speaker".

The problem is I'm confused by the wide variety of model numbers - there are so many different ones. Some have a two pin molex on the end, some have many pins, some have the connector cut off. The ones with many pins usually claim to have internal amplification, which interests me except I can't find an accurate description of the pinouts.

So, if you've connected these speakers to your scanner,
I'd like to hear about it. What model numbers? Did you hook it to your base or your handheld? Does it have amplification, and if it does did you get one with an internal amp and rig it up or did you roll your own amplifier? Is this all hype? What gives?

 

[countywacker]

I took a external speaker from a spectra, cut the wire and put a mono plug on the end. Seems to work fine and is loud enough for me.

 

[CCHLLM]

Some Motorola speakers are 4 ohm, some are 8 ohm, and some are "other" ohm. Many of those that look identical are just that except for that pesky connector thing, and the connector you put on the end of the leads doesn't matter a bit to the speaker itself. Other than power handling capacities and sizes and housings and mounting configurations, the only real differences between any of the two wire non-amplified types are the impedances and the connectors. The impedance is the only thing that the scanner's audio amp will see as different if you choose one with a different impedance that the scanner speaker.

The 4 ohm speakers may be a bit louder than the 8 ohm speakers when used with the low audio power of a scanner, but unless there's some specific warning in your scanner's manual stating that you're to use whatever impedance speaker, go for it. The power handling capacity is not really a factor for scanner applications.

There are two kinds of amplified speakers used by MotherMoto. Some are units where the audio amp is in the speaker because it's not in the radio or in the vehicular adapter. Those will definitely not be suitable because the amp isn't looking to just boost the output of processed audio.

The second type of amplified speaker is for the purpose of boosting the audio in noisy environments for the cheaper Motorolas that have only 3 or 4 watts of audio output. These would be the ones you'd want to use for a scanner, but they aren't exactly plentiful.

Even though the MotherMoto speakers will enhance the audio quality of a scanner as well as make it somewhat louder, don't expect that "Motorola" sound from any of them though. The MotherMoto speaker is only a part of what produces that much sought after audio quality. Besides, no two series of Motos really sound alike anyway, so which one do you prefer?

 

[kb2vxa]

So far all comments are spot on and I only have three things to add. First, the reason why a 4 ohm speaker sounds a bit louder is because the lower the impedance the more power it draws from the amplifier for a given volume control setting. (Ohm's Law) For this reason solid state hates shorts, output amp go poof.
Unless you have a really puny audio amp in your receiver or operate in an extremely noisy environment you don't need any more amplification. Delivering power to an amplified speaker can be a bit tricky, try to avoid them.
Just because it has the big M on it doesn't say it was made by Motorola, through the years I have seen identical speakers with a number of brands and some unbranded. I suspect like many things they're all made in the same factory, shipped unbranded and somebody somewhere down the line put a stamp to them. The point being what you name the baby is unimportant as long as he grows up big and strong, just don't call him Sue (or Radio Shack). A commercial product always gives superior results being made to be abused and come back smiling so if you shop around you'll find what you want at a more than reasonable price, I never paid more than $2 for a speaker.

 

[JnglMassiv]

Unless you have a really puny audio amp in your receiver or operate in an extremely noisy environment you don't need any more amplification. Delivering power to an amplified speaker can be a bit tricky, try to avoid them.

I cannot agree. I've not seen a standard scanner with adequate audio power for listening, say, a room away or in a vehicle moving with the windows open. It must be said that scanners are inexpensive consumer devices that have any number of cost-cutting tradeoffs of which the audio system (speaker, filters and amplification) is a prime example. And this is fine. Few of us can afford buying Motorola public safety HT's at MSRP.

That 'Motorola sound' is indeed chiefly a product of the speaker and associated amplification. Any of the Convert-a-com-type speakers is great for this purpose. There's a NSN6027A and a very desireable HSN4035A (20 watts! & onboard volume knob) on ebay right now for a reasonable price.

N0SS has developed a great guide to Motorola amplified speakers.
It's a pdf. Link here.
His main site.

 

[kb2vxa]

You cannot agree with what? I fail to see any connection between what you quoted and what you wrote.
Just as an FYI I have never needed anything but my plain old unamped Motos to hear my radios in another room (as if I needed to) or in the car with the windows down at highway speed. In the latter case it's simply a matter of placement, not volume, no sense in irritating the passengers.

Now you have raised my horns, please explain what is "Motorola sound". Somehow I can't tell the difference between Motorola sound, GE sound, RCA sound, Alinco sound, Azden sound, or Uniden sound. Eh, I must admit Icom sound is a bit different when listening to CW or SSB, FM is well, FM. Any more questions, like maybe about my pointed ears?

 

[CCHLLM]

While I don't agree with not being able to discern the differences between ham radio or scanner audio and MotherMoto or other commercial grade audio, I Double D Dog totally agree that speaker placement is the crucial key to hearing the audio when the audio power is not optimum, especially in a vehicle that tends to be less than quiet at speed. The combo of cheap audio, small cheap speaker, and the audio amp running at its upper end makes for audio that is annoying as hell. An audio amp running below 75% of its capacity reduces distortion and lousy audio characteristics.

I also don't agree that "FM is FM", but I'm a musician, so different audio characteristics and qualities are blatantly obvious to me. I can for sure tell the major differences between the an Alinco or Azden vs a Moto or GE or RCA.

Then again, the whole premise of ham radio and scanner manufacturing is to produce a product that the average person can afford. That cost compromise means compromise in areas that can be shortcut as required to maintain that economy of price, and audio power and quality always seem to be among the elected shortcuts no matter who the manufacturer might be. Even the cheaper Motos with 4 watt audio can have some real audio compromises when required to push the envelope.